


Don’t be a stranger

by GeekLibrarian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dursleys, Family, Harry and Dudley's relation, Headcanon, Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 21:23:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15542439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekLibrarian/pseuds/GeekLibrarian
Summary: The Battle of Hogwarts is over and Harry needs to explain many things to a lot of people.





	Don’t be a stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in my tumblr (@geeklibrarian) on Oct. 5 2016

After Voldemort’s death, there where a lot of things to be done, a lot of answers to be given, and a lot of explaining to share.

From Neville to Professor McGonagall and the remains of the Ministry of Magic, they all wanted to know what happened.  _How_ it had happened.

So Harry gave a huge sigh, smiled to Ron and Hermione and walked into all of that, knowing he had ahead weeks, probably months, of all of it. So, leaving his friends to update the rest of the former DA members he went and explained McGonagall, who sobbed into her handkerchief and muttered a faint "He always trusted Severus, we should have trusted him too”.

After that, he went looking for Ginny, and without a word, he hugged her and let himself dry off tears, while she stroke his hair and hold him tight, trying to mend his heart and soul. And managing to do it, in the end.

There were weeks of Ministry appointments and Daily Profet’s interviews.

There was that week Hermione made them both swear they’d get their NEWTs, and so they asked permission to get back to Hogwarts next year, to finish their studies. And permission was given.

And then, one day, a week or so before term started again, Harry remembered it all. He remembered the beggining. And not giving the Weasleys a more complete explanation than “I’ll be back in a bit”, he Disapparated, and went looking for the Dursleys.

He found them, in a small house beach in the south of the country, and approached from a distance, rememebering what Dumbledore had once said to him “It’s not polite to apparate in someone’s house, we must give them the chance to reject our visit”. So he walked, slowly, and also slowly knocked on the door, waiting, and not really knowing what he would say, other than “Look, I’m not dead.”

Aunt Petunia opened the door, and stood there, her mouth half opened, her eyes opened wide.

“Who is it?” Uncle Vernon voice echoed from the inside. And as she didn’t answer, he came strolling into the porch, and froze, too, at the sight of Harry.

“YOU?” he belowed, pushing Petunia inside “YOU’LL GET US ALL KILLED!” and he shut the door close.

But it opened once more, when he was just turning around to go.

“Is it over?” Dudley asked, resting himself in the door frame, his arms locked over his chest, and looking as big and threatning as ever.

“Yeah, it is.”

“Lord Voldemort… is he dead?”

“Y-yeah, he is” Harry answered, surprised that Dudley had even remembered the name.

“Did you kill him?”

“I… I did.”

A silence stretched between them, and Harry was beginning to think that coming had been a really bad idea, when his cousin stood straight again, opening the door to the house.

“Good.” he said, and walked inside.

Of course, uncle Vernon was not happy with the story, he kept interrupting to ask questions and to criticize him, and aunt Petunia refused to sit down as he told everything that had happened, but still didn’t miss a single word Harry said, while cleaning the already spotless small kitchen. 

Finally, Harry stood and looked at them.

“I can take you back.” se said “To Privet Drive. If you want to.”

“I RUDDY WELL DON’T!” shouted uncle Vernon “I CAN DRIVE MYSELF THERE, NO NEED FOR YOU TO DO ANYTHING THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH.”

“Well yes.” said aunt Petunia, looking at her husband with a mixture of disgust and courage “He saved our lives.”

Half an our later, Harry, Petunia and Dudley watched uncle Vernon drive away with their luggage and car, having him refused completely the offer of magical transport.

“Okay, then.” Harry said, looking uncomfortable “You should hang on to my arms and…”

“We remember.” said Dudley, and he and his mother clutched each to one of Harrys arms, and giving a step forward, they felt the horrible feeling of stretching and contracting, and next second, they were standing on the front lawn of Number 4, Privet Drive.

The house was dirty, and the grass was yellow and knee length. But it was locked, and everything remained the way it had been before the all flee for a better and more secure place, barely an year before.

With a flick of his wand, Harry helped remove most of the dust and spider webs, and then he turned to leave.

“I know…” said aunt Petunia’s voice behind him “That you have no reason to come back here, now there’s no more spell. But I will keep those things in  _your_  room until you can come and get them.”

“Thanks” said Harry, with half a smile.

He was already walking away, when Dudley called after him.

“You know…” he was blushing now “I’m really glad you didn’t got killed… really killed, I mean.” he stretched out a hand “Don’t be a stranger, Harry.”

“I won’t” Harry smiled. And turning away, he walked until he found a shadowy tree and with a loud CRACK he was gone.

And he wasn’t. He and Dudley kept track of each other since then. Dudley would tell him about aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon getting flustered every time an owl came whoozing into the kitchen, but nevertheless, they would shout at him things like “What does  _HE_  want now” or “What’s his  _excuse_  to bother you now”, but that was nothing more than they wanting to know he was still okay.

When Harry and Ginny got married, Dudley appeared on a taxi in the fence of the Burrow, and Harry went out to greet him, along with Ginny, both wearing a big smile. Ron mocked him a bit, and little Ted Tonks exclaimed “so you’re my uncle Duddy?”. Dudley gave small smiles to everyone, and after the ceremony he was gone “Too much too many wizards, y’know” he whispered to Harry, and Harry chuckled, as he watched him walk away down the road, mindlessly rubbing his butt.


End file.
